"Spleen (IV)" is a famous poem, written by Charles Baudelaire in 1857.
"Spleen" in poetry is a kind of a melancholic feeling mixed with anxiety of existing. The word itself actually refers to the human organ: at the time, it was believed that it was producing black bile, inducing these negative feelings.

I happen to own a 1900 edition of the Baudelaire's book: I am holding it in the photo, opened at this poem's page. From there, I tried to represent a situation illustrating the kind of emotion communicated by the poem.

Technically, about 7 hours of driving were needed to gather the needed elements (the water cascades were a bit far from home, but I was feeling that they were needed). Lots of shooting too, about 500 photos both outdoors and in studio. Postprocessing luckily went quite smoothly (about 8 hours straight), so that everything was finished a couple of hours before rollover.

I do realize that this submission's atmosphere is not exactly joyful and smiling, but I sure hope that some will still enjoy it.

I really like this... in voting, before I even understood the Spleen reference (had to read your description to figure it out) this picture already represented that melancholic, axious feeling that comes with existence. Beautifully done piece of art.

wonderfully done! I agree about the eyes. It seems like there should be a little more to them. The water on the page and flowing off the page is so beautifully done! Congrats on a great yellow. I so enjoy seeing your work!

Some excellent editing on this - I especially like the water falling from the book, how you've lined up the bowl, sun/moon path, and sun/star. Love the birds in the sky. Not sure I get the red flower/ribbon. Don't like the stuff coming from her eye - can't tell if it is supposed to be salt or water. You have several little "touches" here that help glue it all together - her wet hair, for instance.

Chapter 4, Tears of sorrow flow unchecked from an undescribable sense of loss hath created thy drenching pool for which I cannot hope to escape. Hence my heart hath fallen, down, down into the vastness of the deep, hopeless, bottomless pit of the shadow of once was my life, the castle, the heaven, the bliss. All gone, gone forever into the endless eternity. 10